MotorTrend Channel

Why Most EVs Feel Wrong to Drive | Joakim Rydholm on Steering, EVs & the Polestar 5

What makes a car truly fun to drive? In this episode of The Inevitable, Ed Loh and Jonny Lieberman sit down with Joakim Rydholm, Polestar's Head of Driving Dynamics, to explore the art and science of steering feel, chassis tuning, suspension development, and why software alone can't create a great driver's car. Rydholm also shares stories from his decades at Saab, Volvo, and Polestar, his experience as a rally driver, and how Polestar developed its unique driving DNA. The conversation also dives into the future of EV performance, reactions to Ferrari's first electric car, the philosophy behind the upcoming 900-horsepower Polestar 5, benchmarking against Porsche and Honda, tire development, and why the smallest suspension changes can completely transform a car's personality. It's a fascinating look inside the mind of one of the industry's most respected chassis engineers. 0:00 - Welcome to The Inevitable 0:14 - Hyundai's massive Meta Plant tour 4:27 - Tesla's Fremont factory & Model S/X update 6:19 - Meet Polestar's Joakim Rydholm 8:41 - Ferrari's EV and the future of performance cars 14:13 - Why design matters for EV brands 16:40 - Joakim's journey: Saab, Volvo & Polestar 20:00 - Rolling resistance explained 23:23 - Building the Polestar driving DNA 30:13 - Favorite classic Volvos & dream cars 35:02 - Rally racing and engineering lessons 38:45 - The three pillars of Polestar handling 44:14 - Hardware vs. software in chassis tuning 47:46 - Steering feel, kickback & electric power steering 57:34 - Teaching the next generation of chassis engineers 1:05:39 - Polestar 5 preview & engineering philosophy 1:10:49 - First driving impressions of the Polestar 5 1:11:43 - Final thoughts & wrap-up MotorTrend is the ultimate destination for gearheads looking for the latest automotive research and news. Find the right car, truck or suv for you. ➡️: https://www.motortrend.com/car-finder Follow MotorTrend for the latest! MotorTrend News: https://www.motortrend.com Facebook: / motortrend Instagram: / motortrend Twitter(X): / motortrend TikTok: / motortrend MotorTrend preferred music partner: Universal Production Music MotorTrend is a fully owned subsidiary of Hearst Communications Inc.